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2010-12-16 - The Sanctity of the Arts
It is evening, and it's another fun night for the patrons of L'esprit. There isn't a large crowd, but just enough for a variety of pleasant conversations and a good audience for anyone brave (or tipsy) enough to take to the stage. To the likely detriment of everyone's nice evening, one Elizraim Menai has recently wandered in out of general curiosity about the place, having heard some music coming from within--that odd sort of sound that ey's learning modern songs have, but it didn't sound half bad, to be honest. Standing a bit inside the place, ey stares around with a bit of a frown on eir face. What an odd place...strangely decorated, I would say, ey thinks. Ey stares for a few moments at one of the big sunflowers, then shakes eir head, moving closer to the stage and watching the current singer--who is actually pretty good. Is this what passes for concert halls among the mortals now? He pauses, and looks at the microphone. And what exactly is ''that?'' Terra Black is already in there, sitting on a stool at the bar. Needless to say, she's not ordering alcohol. She's ordering a soda, turning towards the...oh. Hey. Elizraim. She'd call across to em, but ey likely wouldn't hear her over the music. Elizraim is staring rather openly in mystification at the stage setup. The music is coming from...there? Ey peers at the speakers, then at the singer again. But who is playing? Perhaps this is like that odd...what was it...television? It is a 'record' of the past? But then...she appears to be singing presently. Ey shudders, and folds eir arms, frowning. The singer completes her song, and gets a round of polite applause as she leaves the stage. Elizraim looks around for a moment, and gives a couple claps emself, since that seems to be the custom. And then, the tipsy guy hits the stage. He's not quite had enough to be cut off, but he's definitely had enough to make him brave. And within moments of his starting to sing, one can tell that if he were in full possession of his mental faculties at the moment, he'd never consider it due to the very strong likelihood that anyone with the remotest love of music in the area would feel strongly compelled to throttle him until the awful noise stopped forever. Which, given the expression on eir face, is what Elizraim is growing quite likely to do. The young royal is beginning to sputter with growing rage. Will is not here. Terra, is not a music person. She does, however, visibly and obviously wince as the guy attempts, with no success, to invent several new notes. But her eyes are also on Elizraim, who looks like ey's about to silence the guy in a painful manner. And get emself thrown out. Best to deflect that. She snags her lemonade and stands, heading over towards the kid. Perhaps a bit too late, though at least Elizraim doesn't get actively violent. Yet. "Is this what passes for song in this hall?" ey says, quite loudly, looking around at the patrons. "This...this blasphemy against music?" Ey points at the man on stage. "Silence, at once, you...you absolute horror of a musician! How could the proprietors possibly think to allow one such as you to take to the stage?" The man, perhaps fortunately, has indeed stopped by now, staring at Elizraim in a kind of dull surprise. Elizraim continues chattering, getting, at the moment, a somewhat even mix of annoyed glares and grateful looks (at least ey did shut up the horrible singer, after all). "You! Woman!" ey calls to the girl who was up on stage a moment before, pointing at her. "Go and bring your employer to me. I shall have an explanation for this..." The girl, of course, looks quite confused at this...clearly, Elizraim has no idea just what "karaoke" actually means. Terra Black ahems. "Eli. It's a karaoke bar. Half of the point is that anyone can take the stage. If you're that upset...why don't you go up there and show them how its done?" Which might be a dangerous thing to dare the otherworldly royal to, but...well...it beats violence. Elizraim blinks. "Terra." Ey frowns, looking back at the man on the stage, who appears to be thinking of starting up again before Elizraim gives him such a fierce glare--even with the sunglasses on--that he actually goes white for a moment, and reconsiders, quickly retreating from the stage. Elizraim looks back at Terra again, and frowns. "This establishment...allows just anyone to come to the stage? How very strange." At least ey's quieted down, now. Most of the patrons aren't paying em much attention, though for this moment no one's quite ready to brave the stage--in part for fear that they'll get yelled at too, probably. Elizraim gives the microphone a nervous look. "I believe...I should. However...explain these items..." Ey indicates the microphone and speakers. "That's the entire point. You pick a song...somebody else's song...I think I have a good one that should work for you, and sing it. If you're good, you get cheered. If you suck, your friends tease you about it." Most people, of course, suck. Elizraim frowns, looking quite concerned. "Then...you sing using these items?" Ey gestures at the microphone and speakers. "But...why must I sing another's song? I have composed many myself." Ey looks at the stage again. "I have no knowledge of the music of this land. The performance would not be ideal." "Because that's the tradition. The microphone is used to make your voice louder...you probably don't need it, but people who aren't as well trained do." Terra smiles a little. "Maybe I should go first?" Elizraim frowns, looking at the microphone with the same level of suspicion with which ey's regarded virtually everything modern, from cars to microwaves to televisions, and nods. "You are...better than that person just now...I hope?" "I do at least know what a note is," Terra points out. "One of the big things to remember is that you need to keep your mouth a bit away from the mike and absolutely don't touch the top of it." Elizraim nods. "The top is dangerous. I understand." It appears to take your voice and put it in another place...that device over there...so perhaps by touching it, it would steal your voice entirely! ey thinks. Ey shakes eir head. "I shall keep a safe distance." "Only to everyone's ears." Feedback. Not a concept Terra wants to demonstrate. "Let me show you." There's a few mutters, mostly because neither of the kids has started singing yet. "Let's see...oh, I know." Elizraim frowns, looking confused, but just takes a couple steps back to allow Terra to take the stage...and to be back away from the scary microphone to protect eir precious ears from whatever horrid thing might happen to them if Terra screws up. Ey watches a bit nervously, but with clear interest. Terra Black knows the basics. She's not fantastic, but she's chosen a nice, simple song and her voice isn't bad. Not as good as her twin's, but then, she hasn't devoted much time to music. And no...she doesn't set off any horrid feedback. Thank goodness. Elizraim is clearly nervous for the duration of the song, watching the microphone and tensed up like ey might have to move fast, but as it goes on, ey seems to calm a bit. Ey watches Terra sing, face not really showing whether ey likes it or not, and finally nods a bit. She is not exactly talented, but she is pleasant enough, ey thinks. Terra Black grins as she stops. "Think you can have a try?" Ey's not likely to get stage fright, although its clear warning em about the mike got a typical Elizraim overreaction. Elizraim frowns, giving her a couple of claps as well. "Your ability is...acceptable." Ey looks around at the people, and then up at Terra. "I think that I must. If one criticizes, one must offer an example of the proper way," ey replies, though ey sounds surprisingly nervous. Ey gets up on the stage, slowly. Terra Black picked out a song for Eli, showing em how the lyrics scroll. She's trusting him...what she picked was easy, but not insultingly so, and the kind of song that anyone can sing...but which takes talent to sing well. Elizraim continues to frown for the entire process, looking quite displeased that eir beloved music has been so corrupted by technology. "Must I use this...this..." Ey sighs, and looks over at the microphone. "Very well." Ey steps to the microphone, standing perhaps a bit too far back, though as Terra noted earlier, ey might not even need it anyway. "Listen!" ey says, clapping eir hands to grab attention...given eir earlier outburst, people do indeed turn to look with some interest. "I have been asked to 'show how it is done'. I shall grant this request, and shall demonstrate my ability. Tradition dictates that I do not sing a song of my own writing...thus, I must apologize, for my performance shall not be ideal, since I have never before heard this song." Ey looks over at Terra. "You may...do whatever it is you must do." Terra Black will start the song for em. Hopefully ey won't...no. Ey won't make a fool of emself, but we'll see how they react. Those watching probably think the kids are siblings. Elizraim frowns, as the song starts up--and does take a few moments to figure out the tune. But very shortly, ey starts singing properly, and frankly...one might never know, if ey hadn't said it emself, that ey'd never heard the song before. Ey seems to have an innate understanding of music, to the point that ey can quickly figure out the unfamiliar tune and predict where it's going to go with nearly perfect accuracy. And furthermore...ey's not just singing. Ey's truly performing--understanding the emotion of the song, and bringing that forth, using eir voice and eir movements to inspire just the right reaction. A stunned silence has come over the place, as they realize that this isn't just some kinda-talented little kid who waltzed in. They've got a true prodigy on the stage, and even if ey might not be giving the best performance of eir life since ey's never sung in this style (and is a little scared of the mic), this is something special. And when ey's done, the place is dead silent for a few moments, until everyone comes out of their shock, and starts applauding. Elizraim carefully steps away from the microphone, and gives a very formal bow. Terra Black grins. "I think you blew them away." At least if Eli does get stuck in this world in the long term...ey'll never want for anything money-wise. People will pay good money to hear that. Though there is the little problem of eir earlier statement of eir growing up being "completely impossible" here. Elizraim looks at her quizzically for a few moments, and then nods. "Yes...I...blew them away," ey says, frowning. Ey steps back up to the microphone for a moment, and points around the room. "I do not expect all to be capable of this level. I simply ask that you respect this stage, and this music, should you decide to sing." With that, ey turns, stepping off the stage. Not...so very dangerous, I suppose. And that was a decent meal, as well, ey thinks. << You don't need to be quite that scared of the mike, by the way. Its just that if you touch it, it can mess it up, and then it makes horrible noises. >> Keeping that to telepathy. Or perhaps reminding em Terra might be able to hear eir thoughts. Maybe. "Let's get something to drink?" Elizraim frowns. I continue to dislike the 'technology' you mortals have designed, ey thinks in reply. "Certainly. Though I do hope that this establishment actually employs a professional to prepare its drinks...or do they simply allow anyone to try their hand at that as well? I should hope not. That could become quite lethal." Terra Black laughs. "The drinks are fine. Although people do sometimes joke about music as a weapon. Like..oh, bagpipes." Elizraim shakes eir head. "I do not believe I have heard these 'bagpipes'. I shall have to evaluate them myself." Ey sighs. "Such a different land this is...my parents would likely have executed that man." "I'll track down a recording. You'll likely either love it or hate it." Terra glances around the bar. "He was drunk," she notes. Elizraim nods, taking a seat. "This fact would do nothing to spare him. My parents believed quite strongly in the purity...the sanctity of the arts." Terra Black hrms. "Americans believe in freedom of expression. They believe in giving people the freedom to fail, too." Elizraim nods, remaining silent for a few moments. "I did not agree with my parents on this point," ey finally says. Ey looks over at the tipsy fellow, who has had his final drink and is now leaving the building. "I have questioned my views on the issue at times, however." Terra Black hrms. "We don't always agree with our parents. I know me and my dad have had words before now." Elizraim nods. "Your father is possessed of a strong spirit, as are you. Strong spirits do not often abide with each other in perfect harmony." Terra Black snorts. "Which is a complicated way of saying sometimes we fight 'cause we're so similar." Elizraim nods. "You fight 'cause you are so similar," ey repeats, somehow managing to make that sound incredibly formal regardless. "My parents rarely argued with me." Terra Black hrms. "I think its good to argue every now and then," she notes. "Keeps things interesting. Healthy." Elizraim nods a little. "I did have those who argued with me...though it took some bravery to do so. I must admit that this at times led me to better paths than I would have at first taken." Terra Black grins. "If nobody ever tells you when you're doing something dumb...you'll keep doing the dumb thing, right?" Elizraim frowns, and looks away. "I would never do something dumb. I merely found, upon reflection, that my actions--while already sufficient for my purposes--could fulfill my goals even more effectively with slight--extremely slight--revision." Category:Logs